A Wanderer's Beds
by kumiya
Summary: A journeyman needs to be able to sleep anywhere. ANYWHERE. A series of drabbles about Link sleeping in random places, or just sleeping general.
1. With The Enemy

**With the Enemy**

Ganondorf woke to the feeling of being spooned.

It was disturbing, knowing that you had gone to bed alone, yet now feeling a stranger's body melded around your curves. It was warm and snugly and comforting and so wrong for the one named the king of evil. In the darkness he could not see his bedmate, but the weightlessness of the arm draped over his ribs suggested that it was a mouse of a man. Ganondorf pushed himself away and snapped his fingers; at the tips sprung a flame, casting a glow over the bed. There slept the Hero of Legend, still clad in his dirty green frock. His nemesis screwed up his face and turned into the pillow, away from the fire's light.

Ganondorf threw off the sheets, ready to smite the slumbering incarnation of Courage, when a cold desert wind swept through the open window. The Gerudo king shuddered caught in the spell of the chill. In that moment he noticed a grappling hook caught on the sill; a rope lead down into the nighttime desert, a place that even he dislikes.

Ganondorf looked again at the dozing Hylian. He had probably spent the day fighting his way across the dunes, and now he had crawled into the first bed he could find. The fool must not have realized that the king of the desert returned home on occasion. Or, judging by the exhaustion on his face, perhaps he hadn't even realized the bed had been occupied.

Ganondorf watched the small, swaddled chest rise and fall. The king realized that he too was tired. Something deep in his bones told him to stay his hand, to wait another day to play out the Goddesses' game.

"Very well," Ganondorf thought. He climbed once more under the covers. "Until dawn, little hero. Until dawn…"


	2. On Horseback

**On Horseback**

The red and haughty sun was dipping below the ocean horizon when Link fell asleep in Epona's saddle. His head nodded with every clip-clop of the mare's step until she sensed that Link had left this world; she came to a gentle stop at the shoreline. The ebb and flow of the tide matched Link's breathing, the water surging forward with each inhale, then retreating with Link's sigh. A gull cried overhead; it circled horse and rider, slowly weaving closer and closer till it found perch atop Link's head. He didn't even stir.

Epona stood on the shore as the light went from yellow to red to purple, little sequin stars studding the fringes of an inky sky. She stood until the water swirled about her ankles, then turned around and walked her master home.


	3. Temple of Time

**A/N: I hope you enjoy this,** **Loki-Liesmith** **!**

 **The Temple of Time**

It had been seven years since Rauru had sequestered himself in the Temple of Time. Like a dutiful sage, he had abandoned the outside world to serve at the bedside of the sleeping Hero. He had braved his isolation with an iron resolve, holding insanity at an arm's length with mountains of books, playing cards, yoga manuals, and a loom to make his own clothes. Still, seven years was a long time. It was enough to make anyone a little nutty.

"Link, mo' boy!" Rauru thundered, his echoes ringing throughout the stone chamber. He bent over the comatose youth. "Today is a very special day. Do you know why?"

Link breathed in, breathed out.

"Correct! Today is the day you will finally awaken!" Rauru grabbed his trumpet and blasted a victory tune. Then, the Sage of Light turned to stare at the temple's old grandfather clock, its arms mere minutes from midnight.

At long last, the final moment was approaching. Rauru had extended every effort to prepare Link for the next stage of his destiny: he had weaved an adult-sized tunic, plus underwear and breeches; he had even fashioned Link's boots out of a baby deer he had raised and slaughtered in the temple bathroom. Now, the face that had once been round and soft had grown handsome and refined. Oh, how Rauru had waited for this day!

The seconds ticked down: 10… 5… The bells rang deep, almost somberly. Rauru dropped to his knees and threw his arms in the air, teary-eyed. "Thank you," he whispered to the Goddesses above.

Link breathed in, breathed out.

Rauru scrunched his brows together, sweat glistening on his forehead.

Link breathed in, breathed out.

The sage tried not to shake with tension. Maybe Link was just a little late, like how some babies failed to exit the womb on time.

In... Out...

Rauru roared. He sprang from the floor, tripping over scrolls and half-knitted sweaters until he reached his stack of calendars. He flipped through them madly. "Impossible! Today is the day!" He shook a fist at the heavens. "Curse you, Goddesses!"

Yet through his angry haze, Rauru could hear a voice—no, a trio of voices: _"He is not ready yet …"_

"What?" Rauru said. "B-but I've done everything! The shoes, the tights, the little green dress! I've bundled him in winter, fanned him in summer! What more do you want from me?!"

" _One more thing…"_ said the drifting voices. _"One more…"_

They were fading. Rauru had been alone for so long that he cried out, "Wait! Don't go!"

Silence once more. A lone tear trickled down Rauru's face.

Nevertheless, he climbed his mountain of books, digging (with a shovel) until he found his copy of _Hyrule Historia_. He skimmed the tome, examining the pictures of Heroes who came and went, searching for a clue. "One more thing," he muttered. "What could it be?"

The pages turned to a portrait of a man, supposedly that first Hero ever born to Hyrule. He faced east, his profile sharp and regal. Rauru examined the sketch for similarities: there was the cap, the windswept hair, the determined eyes, the ears adorned with…

"That's it!" Rauru threw the book aside, sliding and wobbling down the mountain. He seized a lemon, split it in two; he sanitized a needle in boiling water. Last, he removed two of his finger rings and began to rub them; beneath his magic, they slimmed to small loops of plain silver. He looked down at the sleeping Link. A late baby he would be no more. Rauru placed one lemon half behind Link's ear and plunged the needle through the lobe.

Link screeched, his eyes popping open. Rauru slipped one earring through the bleeding hole, shouting, "Your destiny awaits!"


	4. A Child Sleeps Softly

**A/N: Thank you to Loki and Guest for reviewing! You both made me so happy :) Thank you everyone else for reading too. Ultra thanks to dreamingsilver, my beta reader. Due to her super powers, this fic evolved into something better. Go check her out. She's great!**

 **url: (slash)u(slash)708700(slash)dreamingsilver**

 **A/N: This chapter is a direct continuation from Ch. 3.**

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 **A Child Sleeps Softly**

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Link woke up in a body that was too tall, too big. When he stumbled into the town square, the townsfolk slowly turned their heads, staring at him with empty, rotted eyes, the flesh falling from their bones. As he ran, he caught sight of Hyrule Castle; its towers were sunken in an ominous black fog. A voice rose from deep inside of him, telling him to take sword in hand, to slay the beast within. But while his destiny pulled him towards his enemy, Link's heart pushed him out of the ransacked town and over the crumbling drawbridge. The field opened before him, and beyond lay a strip of green. The wind blew in his face, bringing the scent of damp pines, dogwood, and moss. He was going to Kokiri Forest. He was going home.

Crossing Hyrule Field on foot was a full day's journey, and Link didn't rest until he'd reached the edge of the woods. By then, a swollen moon hung in a black, glittering sky. The trees loomed overhead, and the air grew cold as he stepped into their shadows. Link's knees ached and his boots cut into his heels, but he pushed himself onwards by thinking about how, in just a few minutes, he would be able to soak himself in the cool water of Kokiri Pond, to see a village full of smiling faces.

The first person he ran into was Mido. The Kokiri blocked Link's path into the village, his face twisted into a scowl. He looked just as snobbish as Link had left him, and the sense of familiarity made Link smile. But when Mido asked how a _man_ had made it through the woods with his humanity intact, the answer died on Link's tongue. The child inside of him—the lonely child who wanted friends and feared the impending rejection—pleaded, No, don't speak…

"So many monsters, and now a man in Kokiri Forest!" Mido grumbled to himself. "It's all because of that one kid Link. I'll bet my whole house that it was he who killed our Father, our Deku Tree."

Link's breath caught in his throat, and something twinged in his chest. Navi was about to fly out of Link's hat, her mouth full of curses, but the young man tugged the cap snug around his ears and changed course for the Lost Woods. Link tried to ignore the sting of Mido's words—it was Mido, after all—but something inside his stomach had gone cold. Still unused to his new body, his legs knocked and bumped as he walked, and once he tripped over a half-hidden ledge. Mido laughed and shouted after him, "Don't come back!"

Link needed to see Saria. She, out of everyone, always knew what to do, and seeing her smile would be well worth a trip into the Lost Woods. It was said that rarely should one enter the woods with a doubtful heart, but Link decided that this venture had to be one of those exceptions. The forest had grown gloomier over the last years. The canopy was so dense that it blocked out the sky. Lichen crawled across the ground and up massive tree trunks, giving everything a sick, ghostly look. Sometimes he thought he could hear the faint sounds of an ocarina, but every time he strained to listen, the song would fall short, the darkness hushing his very breath.

Then—blackness, thick and full like someone had snuffed out the moonlight, a candle in the wind. Link couldn't see anything, yet some uncanny instinct pushed him onwards, as if something horrible would happen if he stopped walking. In fact, when he listened carefully, he could hear something shifting in the darkness behind him. Link spun, whipping out his sword to face whatever creature was following him, but he saw nothing but shadows—shadows that writhed and screeched and stretched their arms toward him, crawling up his legs. Link stumbled, falling through brush and bramble. His heart beat louder and louder, as if it were pulsing right between his ears. He tried to breathe, but his lungs felt like they were being squeezed, wrung out like a rag. Suddenly, a flash of light, like lightning, and he dashed for the illuminated treeline—

—and burst into the middle of Kokiri Village. He skidded to a stop, dizzy and disoriented. Then—screams. The other Kokiri fled at the sight of him, ducking into the shadows or behind trees, or shutting themselves in their houses. Link stood in the empty clearing, feeling more a stranger than he had ever felt in his life. He caught sight of a reflection in a house's window and saw a face—an old face—and after moments of blinking and staring, he realized he was looking at himself.

Link needed to be alone. Thankfully, his treehouse was just down the path. A few of the ladder rungs broke on his way up, and he scarcely pulled himself onto the balcony and through the door. The floor and walls were covered in dust. His cot lay in a pool of moonlight. Link's limbs had never felt heaver. He was ready to lose himself to the darkness of sleep, but then he realized that he was far too big for his own bed.

It was then that Link realized this forest was no longer his home, and it never truly had been. Who he was or where he belonged, he did not know. The Great Deku Tree hadn't called Link before him to speak of love and kinship; the only reason Link had a fairy now was because he was on a quest. He wasn't a child of the forest, just a child that was lost.

Peeling away the dust-choked quilt, he kneeled and let his head drop onto the mattress. He could feel a pressure mounting in his chest, clawing its way up his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, tried to swallow and choke it back down, but a small, quivering sound forced its way through. Suddenly, his face was wet, and his shoulders were shaking.

A light flickered—Navi fluttered onto his cheek and stroked aside a strand of hair. "It's okay," she said. "I'll watch over you."

After a moment, Link wiped his face and let out a shaky sigh. He curled up on the floor and slowly, softly, lost himself to the night.


	5. Like Royalty

**A/N: Thank you to Guest who reviewed! You made me feel so proud!**

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 **Like Royalty**

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Today, they would call her Queen.

Zelda gazed into the mirror, chin high, eyes bold and steely. Her father had passed a month ago, leaving the crown to his only daughter. Zelda had bawled her eyes out—though only for the sake of appearances; Impa was far more a loving parent, and being queen was something Zelda had looked forward to her whole life. To have Hyrule bow and tremble at her fingertips—yes, the throne was hers.

Her coronation would begin in a few minutes. Her only regret was that her best friend would not be there to see it. As the sole ranger of the royal guard, Link had been sent to rid Death Mountain of a gelatinous lava monster. He hadn't been seen for two weeks, not even by the Gorons. Elder Darunia feared the worst, but Zelda knew that Link would come back sooner or later, as he always did.

The maids finished plating her hair, and Impa placed Zelda's usual circlet atop her head. Together, princess and nursemaid proceeded towards the throne room. Yet as they navigated the halls, Zelda could tell that something was wrong. The guards jerked as she passed, their salutes as clumsy and clunky as their armor. Moreover, a trail of soot soiled the carpet. Zelda couldn't keep the frown off her face as the stain lead through the expansive throne room doors.

The room was packed with a colorful throng of guests—Goron elders, Zoran royalty, Gerudo ambassadors, and most of the castle staff—but not a peep came from the crowd. They snapped their heads in Zelda's direction, the silence so encompassing that you could hear the pop of their creaky joints. The air vibrated with a nervous energy, the calm before the storm. The only one who dared move was Zelda—she marched straight ahead, eyes locked on the body slumped on her throne…

As predicted, Link was not in the belly of a beast. It seemed that, the night before, he hadn't made it back to his quarters and decided to make a bed out of her royal dais. Smeared with soot, he slumped atop the throne's gold and scarlet glory like a bedraggled champion. His grimy hands lay on the lion-head armrests as if he had the beasts at his beck and call, the winged Triforce array fanning out behind him like the rising sun.

One of the guards stepped forward. "We've been trying to remove him since dawn this morning, but, uh…"

"My soldiers can't even move a sleeping boy from a chair?" Zelda snapped. She climbed the steps to the throne, dead-set on putting Link in his place, when she caught sight of his face… His lashes were surprisingly long and soft-looking; they had settled gently atop his cheeks, golden as summer wheat. Beneath the soot smears glowed rosy cheeks. His lips curled as he dreamed of a thousand sweet and lovely things, his chest rising and falling to a gentle rhythm.

"You see?" said the guard.

"Quiet!" said Zelda, though she was fighting the desire to stroke Link's hair. Gathering her wits, she grabbed his shoulder and jostled him gently, very gently. "Link, wake up."

"Nnn!" Link whined. He tucked his arms and legs into a ball, curling deeper into the cushions.

Zelda shook a little harder. "Link, go sleep in your room."

"Nnn…?" Link's eyes opened a sliver. He blinked at Zelda and, after a pause, bobbed his head in recognition. Then he wiggled to the side, clearing a small space on the cushion. He patted the spot, beckoning his friend to sit. Then he snuggled into the satin and slipped back into his dreams.

The throne room was silent. Zelda stood stiff and still, a dead sort of look on her face. Then she spun around and said to Impa, "Let us proceed."

Impa didn't miss a beat. Snapping her fingers, she called forth the crown bearer. Zelda bent her head, her father's gold a perfect fit. Then she squeezed herself into the little space Link had made for her. She tried to ignore that he was there, but he turned and, with a happy sigh, lay his head on her shoulder.

"All praise Zelda, Queen of Hyrule!" Impa shouted. The crowd clapped.

"Nnn…" said Link.


End file.
